What's in my pack

This is a short hike I did in July'09 with the 'boys' and my ATS3a while looking for some items I lost on FD. A thunder storm rolls up on us so we QRT'd early to dodge the wet. Peanut gets into 'what's in my pack' with his 10-essentails list and Rooster has a message for all of us at the end! Some QRP radio, more goat and fun!

Using APRS to Spot Yourself

During the recent Polar Bear Moonlight Madness Event I used the APRS along with the GPS feature on my newly acquired VX8 to help locate myself on a Google map on the web at aprs.fi. Not only can I show folks where I'm located but it'll show my track over time. And get this I can even include a brief message (up to 64 characters) as to what frequency I'm currently operating and my status "off duty", "in service" etc. It came in real handy when I couldn't find any more Polar Bear Ops to work! I sent another APRS beacon by just pushing a button on my VX8 and within several minutes I had callers answering my lonely CQ! How's that for results. Some would say that's cheating? Well it's all via ham radio and internet for hams by hams so why not! It's a neat tool!


Another fun feature is you can send short messages to other ARPS users For example Fred DL9MDI in Eggenfelden, Germany sent me a message while I was operating on the mountain top (Mt Herman). I was very surprised? I wasn't able to respond to him as I'm wasn't experienced with the sending a message procedure of APRS messaging yet. That's next I can assure you ...once I finish reading my VX8's manual. Here's Fred's first Youtube video

Fun useful stuff for a field OP!

Peanut's View of the HAM-14er Event

Kayak Marine Mobile during the Spartan Sprint

Father's Day Hike with the Goats

Father's Day was just a spectacular day here in Colorado with temps hitting low 80s, bright blue skies and just a few white puffy clouds. A perfect day for Rooster & Peanut and I to head up Mt Herman to play some ham radio!

Rooster & Peanut in Freezing Fog

Peanut and I spent a very COLD afternoon on Mt Herman in the freezing fog just because the Old Goat wanted to play radio. The Old Goat made a dozen or so contacts other QRPTTF stations before we finally got off that freezin' ridge. It's all here in the video ....Rooster

The Squirrel Tail-Shakin' Blues

A resident squirrel rips apart a tarp we use to cover the BBQ in order to build her nest. Shakes her tail at the camera telling me to get lost she's got work to do!